Stepfather abused teenage daughter

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A TEENAGE girl, seated at the back of the court, held her mother in support as the shocking facts of her stepfather's seven years of sexual abuse against her were read aloud.

The man, now 37, began grooming the girl when she was 10 years old, and began having sex with her when she was 14.

By the time she was 15, he was having sex with her most weekends, which included regular sodomy, the District Court in Mackay heard.

He was aged 28 to 36 during the period of offending.

Crown prosecutor Melanie Franklin said he also sexually interfered with the girl's two younger sisters when they were aged seven and eight, sometimes while they were in each other's presence or when one was nearby.

His deviant behaviour in respect to the younger sisters was limited to inappropriate touching over a six-year period.

The court heard that sex with the elder girl occurred "most, if not all" of the time without protection, which resulted in a pregnancy scare on one occasion. The children's mother was a victim of sexual abuse, a fact which the defendant knew.

The man pleaded guilty yesterday to 16 charges including incest, sodomy, maintaining a sexual relationship with a child, indecent treatment of children under 16 and under 12, and assault occasioning bodily harm while armed.

The acts were committed in an "atmosphere of fear and intimidation".

Emotional blackmail was also used, Ms Franklin said.

"Any consent during that period was under that atmosphere," she said.

The man was violent with the children under his care. The court heard how he assaulted his biological son by "taking a hammer to his head".

Judge Richard Jones declared the man to be a serious violent offender and jailed him for 13 years. He must serve 80% of the sentence.